At PS 10, we use a modified Teachers College workshop model to teach reading. It was developed at Columbia University. The basic premise of this model of teaching reading is that students become better readers by reading lots of books that are "just right" for them. In readers' workshop, we are always reading.
Most nights, for homework, students will be asked to read for 30 minutes in their independent reading books. This will gradually increase to the 45 minutes per night that will be expected in the spring. Students will also be asked each night to write a little bit about what they have read. Not only is it important that students learn to summarize the main events that take place in a story or the main idea of a non-narrative text, it is also crucial that they learn to look deeply at texts. For example, students may be asked to make a prediction, infer how a character is feeling, or consider an author's purpose for writing the text. This type of higher level thinking will make students more powerful readers!
We have an exciting year of reading planned. The units of study will go something like this:
September: Making a Reading Life October: Reading for Information & Research November: Historical Fiction December: Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Myth & Fables January: Response to Reading in Book Talks February: Poetry/Figurative Language March: Close Reading of Short Texts April: Journalistic Articles May: Reading in the Content Areas June: Reading for Real Purposes
Most nights, for homework, students will be asked to read for 30 minutes in their independent reading books. This will gradually increase to the 45 minutes per night that will be expected in the spring. Students will also be asked each night to write a little bit about what they have read. Not only is it important that students learn to summarize the main events that take place in a story or the main idea of a non-narrative text, it is also crucial that they learn to look deeply at texts. For example, students may be asked to make a prediction, infer how a character is feeling, or consider an author's purpose for writing the text. This type of higher level thinking will make students more powerful readers!
We have an exciting year of reading planned. The units of study will go something like this:
September: Making a Reading Life
October: Reading for Information & Research
November: Historical Fiction
December: Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Myth & Fables
January: Response to Reading in Book Talks
February: Poetry/Figurative Language
March: Close Reading of Short Texts
April: Journalistic Articles
May: Reading in the Content Areas
June: Reading for Real Purposes
List of Leveled Books